


Vindicata of the Wolf Wife

by sansakatara



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Anti Daenerys Targaryen, Anti Tyrion Lannister, Anti Tywin Lannister, BAMF Sansa Stark, Independent North (ASoIaF), Queen Regent Sansa, Rickon Stark Lives, Rickon Stark is King in the North
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29307783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sansakatara/pseuds/sansakatara
Summary: Winterfell was home. Casterly Rock was a burden.
Relationships: Arya Stark & Sansa Stark, Bran Stark & Sansa Stark, Sansa Stark & Brynden "Blackfish" Tully, Tyrion Lannister & Sansa Stark, Tywin Lannister & Sansa Stark
Kudos: 43





	Vindicata of the Wolf Wife

Their supper finished, Sansa was savoring the sweet tranquility with her siblings and their Tully great-uncle, when a knock came on the door.

The door opened, to show Lothor Brune. He inclined his head with deference to Bran to his new position, before turning to Sansa. 

When Littlefinger's crimes eventually damned him, Sansa accepted the knight into her service. Over time, he proved himself, and her budding fondness for him in the Vale had evolved into a deep regard. But there was now a tentative look marring the features Sansa had come to know well. 

"Yer Grace, there's a man insisting on speaking with you." 

"This could not have waited?" Uncle Brynden demanded.

Lothor Brune grimaced. "They said it was important." He looked nervously at Sansa, as if he did not fancy what he was about to say. "They said that it was a matter for Lord Tyrion's lady."

Uncle Brynden scowled, Bran looked troubled, and Arya's hand seized her sword.

Their reactions felt like a balm to the anger that blackened Sansa's heart. Because of this, she was able to raise her hand and calmly instruct Ser Lothor to let whoever was waiting in. 

The man who entered their chambers - the finest chambers to accommodate Bran's status, was someone she had not spoken with since arriving almost a week ago. But Sansa immediately knew who he was.

The robust man with curly brown hair and close-set hazel eyes wore the colours of House Lydden. His youth meant that he could not have been Lord Lydden, so this must have been his son.

Sansa had learned through the court that Tyrion had installed Lord Lydden as his castellan when he reclaimed the Rock, during the youth of Daenerys' invasion.

Less clear was the truth of Cersei and Jaime Lannister’s deaths, the former of which absconded to the Rock after Connington murdered Tommen and Myrcella.

The Targaryen girl no doubt wanted to look the Kingslayer in the eye before killing him. She must have dreamt of it, a thousand times. It occurs to Sansa with a brutal chill, that she must have dreamt of Father's death as well. However, she never got that chance. Instead, she would receive the bodies of the Kingslayer and his twin, covered in Targaryen cloaks, along with the loyalty of the Rock. 

Some whispered, with a sense of almost being enchanted by the repulsiveness of it, that the queen had been mounting her brother in their sire's own bed when some of their men had burst in and gutted them like rats, running their bodies through with a sword. Others whispered that they chose to end their own lives rather than face the shame of submission. And long before the dragons had even arrived, perhaps the first night they were reunited, they had forced a septon into marrying them.

Sansa doubted that. Maybe Cersei would have married her brother if did not mean losing everything she held dear, but she also knew Cersei had no time for gods and would not have cared about whenever they blessed her warped union with her brother.

Lothor Brune cleared his throat. “As you've requested, an audience with Sansa of House Stark and Tully, Queen Regent to Rickon Stark, King in the North.”

Lydden gave a sardonic smile. “And Lady Lannister, as the wife of Lord Tyrion.”

Sansa’s face was a cool mask. “I was Lord Tyrion’s bride because the Lannisters had to all but drag me into the Great Sept, but I was never his wife. My mother was my father’s wife. And when Cersei Lannister and Margaery Tyrell wed, they kept their names as befitting their own stations. It was no different for me. I was addressed as Lady Stark at court following my marriage. Please remember that.”

Lydden's face reddened. He seemed a little taken aback by Sansa. “I have no quarrel with you, my-Your Grace.” He drew himself to his full height. “But as you are no doubt aware, Lord Tyrion is dead.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Sansa could glimpse Uncle Brynden raising his goblet of wine in mock salute.

There would be few, if any, who mourned Tyrion Lannister. He had perished, when the woman he championed unleashed her dragon on Kingslanding and flames danced across the city. It was said that the Imp had vowed revenge upon the city during his trial, before evading the axe. He had died for his retribution, along with the souls of Kingslanding.

“What’s that got to do with Sansa?” Arya asked.

“It means certain things are excepted of her. When Lord Lannister claimed his rightful inheritance, she became the Lady of Casterly Rock. With Tyrion’s death, the Rock is essentially hers. Because of this, she is responsible for it. It is vital that we discuss its future, before you return North after King Bran’s coronation at the end of the week.”

 _Yes, because my marriage was not yet annulled at the time._ Littlefinger had been so sure he would get it done. He had been sure of many things.

Sansa understood that he only spoke truely.

Even though she would have had a stronger claim to it if she had Tyrion's child, other women before her had ruled their husband’s castles when they had died with no children to show for their marriages.

Of those who might have challenged her, well- all the Lannisters had left to show for its legacy was a seven-year-old, a half-Frey, and a bastard girl. Sansa knew she had choices to make – little Janei Lannister was the best choice, as the only surviving child of Kevan Lannister. Better her, than Walder, a half-Frey, and a bastard niece. 

Sansa was also responsible for Winterfell, but that was different. Winterfell was home. Casterly Rock was a burden.

But if Casterly Rock belonged to Sansa, then so did its gold.

She smiled. “I look forward to it.”

After Sansa dismissed him, Arya was chewing her lip. It was a habit of hers that Sansa had always found disgusting, but now she was willing to forgive her sister many things. “If Casterly Rock belongs to you, so too does its gold,’ she said, speaking Sansa's thoughts out loud.

Her words brought a wicked gleam in her eyes and laughter from Uncle Brynden, while Bran smiled.

She had the power to do with it as she wished. If she wanted to, she could have started over somewhere else completely new. Perhaps when Rickon reached his majority, she could travel. Perhaps, it would be her husband's castle she would travel to....

But more enticing, and practical an idea - was using Tywin Lannister’s gold to help rebuild the North and Riverlands. Neither should the Vale go unrewarded.

In doing so, she would be spitting on the bones of the man who had tried using her to steal Winterfell.

It was only fitting.


End file.
